


Sisters

by FalconStrike



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Family, Gen, Sister-Sister Relationship, Sisters, Talking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-22
Updated: 2016-10-22
Packaged: 2018-08-24 01:21:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8350756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FalconStrike/pseuds/FalconStrike
Summary: Bethany Hawke and her sister, Ahote, share a quiet moment in the middle of Kirkwall's chaos.





	

Night in Lowtown was both dangerous and terrifying. It was whispered, “Never go out at night lest you be well armed.” Slavers, smugglers, thieves, murderers, and any other form of criminal scum prowled the late night streets. Fortunately for Hawke, she was one of these scum, a smuggler fresh out of her year of forced servitude.

But she wasn't out on the streets this particular night, closed safely in her uncle's Lowtown home. 

It was long after Leandra had gone to bed and Gamlen was at the Hanged Man, likely losing what little money he had. Good riddance. Bethany and Ahote sat at the small table in the main room having cleared away the dishes from their meager supper. The fire popped loudly in the silence, casting dancing shadows on the walls.

“Sis,” Bethany said, breaking the silence. “You won't let the Templars take me, will you?”

It was in the dark nights when they weren't doing jobs that the dark thoughts festered.

“No, never,” Ahote said in a fierce, quiet voice. She clasped Bethany's hand across the table and said, “I'd sooner die than see you put in the Circle.”

“But if it happened--”

“It won't.” Ahote said shortly.

“But if it did,” Bethany pressed.

“I'd get you back,” Ahote assured her sister. She squeezed Bethany's fingers. She would protect her sister as she had been unable to do for their brother.

There was silence for a while as they stared into the fire, lost in their own thoughts. Bethany spoke again, “If I was made tranquil--”

“Bethany! Don't even think about such things,” Ahote snapped, appalled.

“But if I were,” Bethany said again, holding tightly onto Ahote’s hand. She looked straight into her eyes. “Promise me you’d kill me.”

“Bethany,” distress filled Ahote's voice.

“Promise me, sis, it's a fate worse than death! I don't want to lose myself!” Bethany pleaded.

“...I promise…” Ahote whispered after a moment of anguished silence. 

“They won't take you. I won't let them.” Her words hung in the silence. A pause. “Carver wouldn't either if he were here.”

“I miss him,” Bethany breathed, her face etched with grief, grief that they refused to show to anyone but each other. 

“I do, too.”

“He wanted to be a Templar, you know,” Bethany said. “But he didn't become one because he knew he'd put father and me in danger.”

“I know.”

“He would have hated it here.”

“He would have.”

“He would have been arrested on his first day,” Bethany's lips twitched in the shadow of a smile.

“He would have refused to do our line of work,” Ahote's voice was tired, resigned. 

“He would have wanted to go on the Deep Roads expedition with us and make a name for himself. It must have been hard for him, living in our shadows. You do everything right, I'm cursed with magic,” Bethany muttered the least part bitterly.

“I don't do everything right.” Ahote shook her head. “I couldn't save him. I dragged you into working as a smuggler. This isn't how it should be.”

“Better to be a smuggler where my magic will draw less attention than as a mercenary using it out in the open,” Bethany couldn't hide the bitterness in her voice.

“You're magic's not a curse,” Ahote murmured, looking away from the fire and back at her sister. “The Maker blessed you with it, people just can't see that.”

Bethany smiled weakly at her sister, “Thanks.”

They lapsed once more into silence. 

“Both Anders and that Fenris like you,” Bethany teased, making an effort to push away the dark thoughts and heavy atmosphere.

“No, they don't,” Ahote argue, picking up on her sister's attempts.

“Oh, yes, they do. Anders was trying not to flirt with you and Fenris even smiled at you. So… which one do you like?” Bethany grinned.

“Beth!” Ahote cried in mock horror. 

“Tell me!” 

“That's for me to know and you not to find out,” Ahote said shaking her head. 

“Sis!” Bethany complained. “I'm your sister, you have to tell me these things!”

“No, I don't,” Ahote laughed.

Their conversation was briefly forgotten in their laughter, but little did they know, Leandra stood on the other side of the door weeping silent tears for her girls.


End file.
